The present invention is related to an improved sheet-feeding apparatus, and more particularly to a sheet-feeding apparatus having simplified sheet-feeding path for more easily single-face/double-face scanning/printing sheets at higher sheet-delivering efficiency.
There are various conventional automatic sheet-feeding apparatuses applied to office machines for scanning/printing sheets. For example, referring to FIG. 1, Taiwanese Patent No. 92118103 discloses an automatic sheet-feeding apparatus including a sheet-feeding cartridge a and a sheet-releasing cartridge a1. Papers can be placed on the sheet-feeding cartridge a. A paper p goes through a pick roller c and a roller set c1 into a first passage b1. A front face of the paper p passes through a scanning module D and then moves to a first register section e1. A guide member f1 is switched to a position as shown by phantom line to block the first passage b1 and unblock a second passage b2. The paper p goes through a roller set c2 into the second passage b2 and then goes through the roller set c1 into the first passage b1 again. A back face of the paper p then passes through the scanning module D. A guide member f2 is switched to a position as shown by phantom line to unblock the subsidiary passage b4, permitting the paper p to get into a second register section e2. Then the guide member f3 blocks the subsidiary passage b4 and unblocks the third passage b3, whereby a roller set c3 drives the paper p into the third passage b3. Then a roller set c4 delivers the paper p to the releasing cartridge a1. At this time, the paper is double-face scanned. In a modified embodiment, the scanning module D is replaced with a printing module.
Referring to FIG. 2, Taiwanese Patent No. 95107505 discloses a single-face/double-face continuous automatic paper feeder. The paper feeder includes a paper-feeding cartridge g and a paper-releasing cartridge g1. Papers can be placed on the paper-feeding cartridge g. A paper p goes through a pick roller h into a paper-feeding passage or a first passage k1. Then the paper p goes through a roller set h1 to push away a leaf spring n1. Then a front face of the paper p passes through a scanning module D. Then the paper p goes through a roller set h2 into a paper-returning passage or a second passage k2. In case of single-face scanning, a guide member m1 is switched to a position as shown by phantom line to unblock a subsidiary passage k4, permitting the paper p to get into the subsidiary passage k4 and push away a leaf spring n2. Then a roller set h3 delivers the paper p to the paper-releasing cartridge g1.
In case of double-face scanning, the guide member m1 is positioned in a position as shown by solid line to block the subsidiary passage k4. Under such circumstance, the paper p goes through the paper-returning passage or the second passage k2 and goes through the roller set h4 to push away the leaf spring n3. Then the back face of the paper p passes through the scanning module D. Then the paper p gets into the paper-releasing passage or the third passage k3 and goes through the roller sets h5, h3 to the paper-releasing cartridge g1. At this time, the paper is double-face scanned. In a modified embodiment, the scanning module D is replaced with a printing module.
Some shortcomings exist in the above sheet-feeding apparatuses. For example, the sheet-delivering path is composed of numerous passages b1˜b4 or k1˜k4 so that the path is too long and complicated. Moreover, a plurality of roller sets c1˜c4 or h1˜h5 and guide members f1˜f3 or m1 and leaf springs n1˜n3 are necessary for the sheet-delivering path to complete the single-face/double-face scanning operation. Also, the above Patents fail to disclose any measure for achieving both scanning and printing functions.
It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide an improved sheet-feeding apparatus which includes less components and has simplified structure. In addition, the improved sheet-feeding apparatus is capable of more easily single-face/double-face both scanning and printing sheets at higher sheet-delivering efficiency.